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Gather the Daughters Critical Review

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Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed follows the lives of four female protagonists – the ‘daughters’ who live on an island, supposedly kept safe from the ‘wasteland’ of the mainland, where a ‘scourge’ has punished the world. The text has strong similarities to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale – the society follows Our Book, which specifies rules of the society, mostly created to silence and sanction women. They are called the ‘Shalt-Nots’ and consist of ‘thou shalt not touch a daughter who has bled until she enters her summer of fruition’; ‘thou shalt not allow a wife to stray in thought, deed or body’; ‘thou shalt not allow women who are not sister, daughter, or mother to gather without a man to guide them all.’ (20) Unlike Atwood’s tale, though, we’re given barely any information regarding life beyond the island, all being revealed only through the questioning child protagonists. The ‘wanderers’ – the men who hold the highest rank in the community – visit the wastelands across the water regularly, telling tales of a ‘world of fire’, but as the narrative progresses both the reader and the girls have reason to become increasingly distrustful of this. ‘Narrative tension builds as skilful characterisation fills the reader with growing concern for the central voices.’ (Moss, 2017)

As Nick Hubble says, ‘there is discussion as to what is science-fiction about this novel. On the one hand, it looks and feels just like a post-apocalyptic dystopia, but on the other hand, as the reveal at the novel’s end makes clear, it is no such thing.’ (2018) Melamed’s text raises many questions prevalent to the genre of SF – mainly, what is SF? Can it truly be defined? This is emphasised, I think, by Melamed’s almost conscious changing of genre towards the end of the novel. After leading the characters, and hence the readers, towards the belief that this is a dystopian society, we realise it is not. The society is in fact a religious cult, the likes of which perhaps exists in our real world today. This blindness to the truth is something the protagonists in the novel deal with continuously, and as readers, we know only what the young girls know. There is that unavoidable innocence of childhood to believe one’s parents, no matter if common sense points elsewhere – and this is reflected in Vanessa, particularly. ‘Vanessa wonders, as she always does…’ (20) She is the smartest of the island girls, always trying to delve information from the adults about the outside world: ‘The waste – now you know I can’t tell you anything’ Mrs Adams tells her, to which she replies – ‘It can be a secret.’ (155) Despite this, she is the only character who does not join the girls in their rebellion on the beach. She wants, above all, to believe her father is good, even though he is part of the problem, the gang of ‘wanderers’, and rapes her repeatedly. ‘Who is my little wife?’ asks Father in a sweet tone. ‘I am,’ whispers Vanessa. (211) There is a strange, jarring tenderness to this exchange that feels intrinsically wrong to the reader but suggests that the author is attempting to redeem the father. He is consistently portrayed as a better person that the other fathers – but this clashes with the actions he commits. The depth in which Melamed raises questions about horrifyingly real issues rejects the post-apocalyptic story arc and directs us, as readers, back to the intricacies of our own world.

Further to this, just like in The Handmaid’s Tale, the women live in a society which is attempting, at all turns, to silence them. ‘Their behaviour and values are circumscribed.’ (Jones, 1991) And as de Beauvoir writes, women are ‘defined and differentiated with reference to man and not he with reference to her; she is the incidental, the inessential as opposed to the essential. He is the subject, he is the Absolute – she is the Other’, and, ‘subjected to doom.’ (1949)  This ‘doom’ is prevalent throughout Melamed’s text: when Janey is whipped for speaking out, Rosie is murdered to protect her, Caitlyn is abused by her father, even more so that the other girls, with no interference from knowing outsiders, and the ongoing fear that perpetrates their daily lives. The author’s gender influences in her own world very consciously affect the work, which is typical of dystopian authors and their subjects: using fantasy to analyse the real. ‘My professor discussed a South Pacific society where fathers were expected to have intercourse with their daughters, to ‘prepare them for their husbands.’ (Melamed, 2017) Despite what Eskeridge writes: ‘I despise conscious theme. It subverts story.’ (Mendelsohn, 2012), the author’s intention to write a novel discussing such prevalent fears and themes – overpopulation, sexual abuse and reproductive rights – are explored in much the same way as her predecessors within the genre of dystopian SF. ‘The central features of dystopia are ever-present – the oppression of the majority by the ruling elite.’ (Clute, 2018)

As previously discussed, there is no clear redemption in this novel. We do not learn whether Vanessa reaches safety, and her father does not leave because he was remorseful about having intercourse with his daughter; he leaves because he is afraid something might happen to her. It goes not excuse or forgive the abuse, but it leaves the reader wondering what the point in all the horror was, if not to reach a resolution. Was it just to comment on the depravation that mankind are capable of? ‘At what point does the depiction of such suffering tip into a pornography of violence?’ (Ditum, 2018) Is there such thing as too much horror in feminist dystopia, and, are we numbing ourselves to the violence against women in these texts? As Sarah Hall writes, there is still a ‘fresh urgency’ to feminist dystopian fiction that feeds a growing thirst for a world that is better than our own. (Thorpe, 2017) Reflecting on past horrors and using a science fiction narrative to do so is an extremely effective way to portray the point.

In summary, I would recommend the novel for an Arthur C Clarke award. Although there are many questions raised in the text that remain unanswered, and the ending is ambiguous, leaving the question open as to whether this novel really is an SF dystopia, Kingsley Amis argues that ‘the dystopian tradition is the most important strand in the tapestry of modern SF.’ (1960) In my opinion, Gather the Daughters is a poignant science-fiction text that cleverly symbolises women’s struggles and their experiences of ‘Other-ness’ in society, bringing to light the horrors of events happening in our real world – something that I believe all science fiction should do. As feminist dystopia, it successfully gives the reader pause to think, and, rightfully, be horrified.

Bibliography

Alderman, Naomi. 2017. Dystopian dreams: how feminist science fiction predicted the future. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/mar/25/dystopian-dreams-how-feminist-science-fiction-predicted-the-future [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Amis, Kingsley. 1960. New Maps of Hell. Penguin, UK.

Anders, Charlie Jane. 2010. How many definitions of science fiction are there? [Online] Available at: https://io9.gizmodo.com/5622186/how-many-defintions-of-science-fiction-are-there [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Atwood, Margaret. 1985. The Handmaid’s Tale. O.W. Toad Limited.

Booker, Keith M. and Thomas, Anne-Marie. 2009. The Science Fiction Handbook. John Wiley & Sons.

Claeys, Gregory. 2010. The Cambridge Companion to Utopian Literature. Cambridge University Press.

Clute, John and Nicholls, Peter. 1999. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. London: Orbit.

de Beauvoir, Simone. 1949. The Second Sex. Vintage, London.

Delaney, Samuel R. and Cheney, Matthew. 2011. The Jewel-Hinged Jaw: Notes on the Language of Science Fiction. Wesleyan University Press

Ditum, Sarah. 2018. Never-ending nightmare: why feminist dystopias must stop torturing women. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/may/12/why-the-handmaids-tale-marks-a-new-chapter-in-feminist-dystopias [Last accessed: 26th August 2018]

Gailey, Sarah. 2016. Do Better: Sexual Violence in SFF. [Online] Available at: https://www.tor.com/2016/08/22/do-better-sexual-violence-in-sff/ [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Gunn, James and Candelaria, Matthew. 2014. Speculations on Speculation. [Online] Available at: http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/Speculations.htm [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Hubble, Nick. 2018. Panel Review: Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed. [Online] https://csff-anglia.co.uk/clarke-shadow-jury/shadow-jury-2018/panel-review-gather-the-daughters-by-jennie-melamed/ [Last accessed: 24th August 2018]

Jarvis, Claire. 2017. The Latest, Troubling Chapter in Feminist Dystopian Fiction. [Online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/13/books/review/gather-the-daughters-jennie-melamed.html  [Last accessed: 26th August 2018]

Jones, Libby Falk. 1991. Breaking Silences In Feminist Dystopias in Utopian Studies, No. 3. pp. 7 – 11. Penn State University Press.

Little, Judith A. 2007. Feminist philosophy and science fiction: utopias and dystopias. Prometheus Books.

Melamed, Jennie. 2017. Gather the Daughters. Tinder Press, London.

Melamed, Jennie. 2017. Exploring a Cultish Culture: the behind-the-book story of Gather the Daughters. [Online]Available at: https://medium.com/galleys/exploring-a-cultish-culture-the-behind-the-book-story-of-gather-the-daughters-by-jennie-melamed-a83c0540eaa9 [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Mendlesohn, Farah. 2012. The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature. Cambridge University Press.

Merrick, Helen and Williams, Tess. 1999. Women of Other Worlds: Excursions Through Science Fiction and Feminism. University of Western Australia Press.

Michaud, Jon. 2017. A Haunting Story of Sexual Assault and Climate Catastrophe, Decades Ahead of Its Time. [Online] Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/books/second-read/a-haunting-story-of-sexual-assault-and-climate-catastrophe-decades-ahead-of-its-time [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Moss, Sarah. 2017. Gather the Daughters by Jennie Melamed review – a misogynist dystopia. [Online] Available at: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/dystopias [Last accessed: 27th August 2018]

Moylan, Tom. 2003. Dark Horizons: Science Fiction and the Dystopian Imagination. Routledge.

Penley, Constance. 1991. Close Encounters: Film, Feminism, and Science Fiction. University of Minnesota Press.

Thorpe, Vanessa. 2017. What lies beneath the brave new world of feminist dystopian sci-fi? [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jun/24/feminist-dystopian-sci-fi-naomi-alderman-handmaids-tale [Last accessed: 22nd August 2018]

2018. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. [Online] http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/dystopias [Last accessed: 24th August 2018]

Meet the Bookstagrammer!

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

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I recently decided that a pandemic is the perfect time to start blogging again. It’s been a couple of years since I last posted, so I thought I would reintroduce myself! My main platform is Instagram, so you can also find this post over there, on @fionareads.

So, hi! My name is Fiona, I’m 27 years old, and I live in the UK. There is nothing in the world I love more than getting lost in a good book, and then discussing it afterwards!

Here are a few facts about me:

📚 I work in children’s book publishing.

📚 I love dogs! I have a Springer Spaniel named Luna who is just as wise and loony as her namesake, Luna Lovegood.

📚 I’m currently writing an adult fantasy novel, but I’ve been at it for about three years, so who knows when it will be finished! I write every single day. It’s my way of winding down, of relaxing, and of letting the creative side of myself flow. I have dozens of notebooks full of unfinished novels. I am still waiting for an idea to truly stick and last all the way to a final draft.

📚 I lived in London for several years, but now I live in the Suffolk countryside. Me, my husband and my lovely dog Luna are always outdoors and we love it!

📚 My favourite authors are J.K. Rowling, Sarah J Maas and Charlotte Brontë

📚 I recently completed my Masters. I wrote my dissertation on Harry Potter. I also wrote my undergrad dissertation on Harry Potter, so we all saw that one coming.

📚 If I didn’t work in publishing, I’d love to work in academia. I love to study, and I hope that makes me cool in a Hermione kinda way!

📚 My favourite TV show at the moment is Brooklyn 99. It never fails to cheer me up on a gloomy day!

📚 I am obsessed with Harry Potter. I have been since I was seven years old. It is my one true love and I could not imagine my childhood, or my life, without Rowling’s words. They inspired my love of literature and pushed me to write my own stories.

📚 My favourite place in the world is the Scottish Highlands. In particular, Glen Coe and Glennfinnan. It is the one place that I truly feel at one with nature, and for me, there is nothing more centring or relaxing. Also, you feel as though you need only take a step backwards to find yourself in the world of Outlander or the grounds of Hogwarts!

Do we have anything in common? Tell me something about yourself in the comments!

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It’s not you, Book, it’s me: The Dreaded Reading Slump and How To Get Over It

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I think that all of us readers have been there. When you are used to reading over 4 books a month, and suddenly, you can hardly bear to read a news article, never mind a novel.

It feels like it is all down to the book. First, you pick up a terrible book, and you don’t finish it. Then, you try another. That’s awful too! And another. They are all boring – nothing grabs you. It could be fantasy, romance, historical, non-fiction, anything. It doesn’t matter. Nothing will grab you. Because it isn’t the book, it’s you.

There are many, many reasons why one might have a reading slump. Lack of motivation, time, stress, anxiety, depression… So, what do we do? We do things that do not require the same level of attention – things we can finish quickly and not think about too deeply.

YouTube, TV shows, scrolling through Facebook, binge-watching Netflix. It’s terrible, isn’t it? And for some, sure, it might be totally normal. But for readers who read (and I mean, read read read) it becomes this depressing, odd, stagnant hole in your life and makes you feel weirdly guilty and not-quite-yourself. Having just come out of the longest reading slump of my life (Not an exaggeration – it was four months long, and torturous!) I created a list of things that finally helped me to get my reading mojo back…

Start Light

I often find that reading something very easy, funny and lighthearted is sometimes the best way to get yourself back into reading. Chick-lit is a great example – it’s fun, summery, and full of simple story lines that do not require too much thinking power. I can be a bit of a snob and don’t usually enjoy chick-lit, but it works wonders for a reading slump. Just getting yourself reading again – whatever it is – is a massive achievement, and it helps if you can have a giggle along the way! Chick-lit offers a form of escapism that is rooted in reality and full of funny anecdotes, beautiful settings and swoon-worthy guys.

Paige Toon is a brilliant one to start with (The Longest Holiday is simply divine, and Lucy in the Sky and Jonny Be Good are also excellent – they are escapism at it’s best – letting you get swept up in holiday romances, gorgeous rock stars, sandy beaches and surfer dudes)

Keep It Short

Don’t feel like you are ready to plunge in to a full-length novel, just yet? That’s totally fine! Sometimes, it might hinder you rather than help you, so I would suggest starting with some shorter stories first. They pull you back into the swing of reading, but don’t keep you for too long. Short, and sweet.

A recent page-turner that comes to mind is Sarah Winman’s Tin Man. It’s a heart-warming, lovely little book that will warm you from your head to your toes – and you can read it in a day!

Try a Different Angle…

Perhaps it is the act of reading that is stopping you from breaking your slump? If you are depressed, it can become almost impossible to focus on anything for too long – you become so demotivated, you can’t even bring yourself to open the book and read the words. Listening to an audiobook, however, is a very different experience to physically reading. You can listen on the tube, on the bus, at your desk, whilst you are driving. It’s the perfect solution!

If this still isn’t helping, another great invention is the Podcast. They have honestly been my saviour the past few months – stopping me from going stir crazy when I feel like I am numbing my brain with YouTube and Netflix. There are some interesting, intelligent, fascinating Podcasts out there – everything from Literature to Science to discussions on authors, fandoms (There are some brill Harry Potter & Game of Thrones casts – Game of Thrones The Podcast is one of my favourites) and the BBC also have some great documentary style discussions on different authors and time periods. I listened to an engrossing one about one of my favourite authors, Oscar Wilde, that inspired me to re-read The Picture of Dorian Gray, hence pulling me out of my slump! Most of them are only 30 minutes upwards, so it’s entirely possible to feed your brain without committing too much time!

Switch It Up

Before your slump, were you (let’s be honest) a bit too obsessed with YA Fantasy? (It’s an easy hole to fall in to…) or did you pretty much only read Thrillers? I find one of the best ways to break a non-reading period is to get stuck into a book of an entirely different genre. It will pull you out of your comfort zone, and make you read something completely unexpected and different to anything you have read before.

Goodreads is fantastic for discovering new books from genres you are unsure about. Or, even better, just step into Waterstones, and spend a couple of hours browsing. You might find something you would never have even thought of reading before! The Booksellers there are so informed they can offer some excellent recommendations.

Get Physical

Perhaps you only usually read on an ereader or iPad, or maybe you are just bored of seeing the same books on your shelves every single day?

A great way to reinstate your passion for reading is to rearrange your bookshelves, or start visiting libraries and bookshops, physically taking books off the shelves, reading the blurbs, perhaps reading a little of the inside. It can be extremely inspiring to realise how many different stories there are out there, and to physically hold them in your hands. Rearranging your bookshelves can be a big job if (like me) you have a lot of books, but it reacquaints you with books you had forgotten about, or books that were on your TBR that you never got round to reading…

What methods would you use to get yourself out of a reading slump? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Book Review – The Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

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Image result for flame in the mistThe only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

“I’ve never been angry to have been born a woman. There have been times I’ve been angry at how the world treats us, but I see being a woman as a challenge I must fight. Like being born under a stormy sky. Some people are lucky enough to be born on a bright summer’s day. Maybe we were born under clouds. No wind. No rain. Just a mountain of clouds we must climb each morning so that we may see the sun.”

I knew I would love this book from the moment I first heard about it, and I was lucky enough, back in February, to get my hands on a proof copy. It was pitched as a mix between Mulan and 47 Ronin, with a bit of Robin Hood thrown in. However, this particular story takes place in feudal Japan and focuses on samurai warriors and the seven principles of Bushido or the Way of the Warrior. Now that it is out in hard copy (yay!) I have read it once more, and can finally put my thoughts into a coherent review…

Flame in the Mist is told through two alternating perspectives: our kickass, sassy main character Mariko and her twin brother Kenshin. The story begins as Hattori Mariko is on her way to meet her betrothed for the first time – the emperor’s son. Along the way, her and her entourage are forced to travel through the dark forest or risk being late to the palace. But, the dark forest is a dangerous, deadly place, frequented by the Black Clan. Mariko’s cart is consequently attacked during the middle of the night, and she barely escapes with her life after convincingly playing dead, whilst the murderers search the rubble. What then ensues is a battle of self-preservation and survival as Mariko must make her way through the woods nearly naked, alone, and a woman. She is stalked and attacked by a homeless vagabond and she has to fight for her life, culminating in her chopping off her hair (true Mulan style) and donning the disguise of a young man who has run away from home.

She then goes on to track down her attackers in the hope of discovering why her convoy was targeted. Things, however, do not go as planned, and she soon finds herself deep within the ranks of the Black Clan, a Robin Hood/Lost Boys-esque group of warrior rebels, and her supposed killers. She must keep her true identity hidden if she ever wants to survive whilst also gaining their trust and learning their ways. Meanwhile, Mariko’s brother and brutal samurai soldier, Kenshin, is out on a mission to prove that his sister is still alive, tracking her, and getting into all sorts of fights along the way, and find the criminals responsible for attacking her.

There were some brilliant, unexpected plot-twists and action scenes in this book. The plot is intricately woven with mystery and intrigue, from the world-building to the mystical, rain drenched woodland setting, you find yourself completely submerged amongst its many folds. Ahdieh’s writing style is just beautiful. The passages of description were lyrical, whimsical, and stunningly detailed. This is the first book I have ever read that is set in feudal Japan, so I can’t speak for how historically/regionally accurate it was, but it had me believing in every essence of the world from the very start. I could almost smell the scent of oak and cherry blossoms and rainwater that Mariko lived and smelt every single day. And just as we experienced in the Wrath and the Dawn duology, the author manages to successfully and authentically include Japanese terms that only added to the tangibility of the story. (There was also a glossary in the back for times of confusion, but I soon found myself understanding the terms in context to the events.)

Mariko’s character development is probably my favourite aspect of the novel. She is often called ‘odd’ or ‘curious’, both of which she originally has an adverse and negative reaction to. She later comes to realise that these labels only make her who she is. She is sarcastic, witty, completely bad-ass and brave and she totally, wholly owns herself and her idiosyncrasies. Her confidence grows within the Black Clan, far more than it ever would have done if she had remained simply a daughter and wife, as society had mapped her future to be. She is a creator, an inventor, and a warrior, and she develops this within the Black Clan, making weapons and learning to fight. Even as she pretends to be a boy, she still remains completely feminine in the sense that she is always struggling with an internal crisis of identity – pondering the strength of being a woman and a woman’s place in the male-dominated world of feudal Japan.

The romance in the novel is also excellent. It is slow-burning, as mysterious as the world in which it is set, and you never quite truly know what is going to happen next or what the couple are really thinking. Can they be trusted? Does he really like her? Is this a game or is it real? You are never really sure, as is often the case with the ‘enemies falling in love’ zeitgeist. This varied plenty from the common star-crossed lovers’ trope though, and it is beautifully, realistically and slowly done. As well as the romance, you find yourself falling in love with the Black Clan – originally meant to be enemies – they are endearing and comical and they stole my heart.

As expected, in this book Renee is responsible for some seriously incredible world building, tangible characters, another perfectly independent kick ass heroine, and a plot so intricate you find yourself completely submerged amongst its many folds.
There is fighting and flirting, a wonderfully evasive and extremely steamy romance, a heart-stopping twist, and cleverly spun lies.

In summary, I am totally lost to this beautifully brutal world of feudal Japan. Of sharp, smart Mariko and her gutsy determination, of the shadows of the forest and the mystery of Okami and the Black Clan… I need a sequel now!

Samurais, shadows, secrets and deadly revenge… what’s not to love?!

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Book Review – Strange the Dreamer

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The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around— and Lazlo Strange, war new-release-date-2orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?
The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? and if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

This book was heartbreaking and mystical and catastrophic and shattering and beautiful. It was the perfect fantasy novel. Laini Taylor’s world building is so tangible – God, I wanted Weep to be real. I wanted to walk through the halls of Lazlo’s library, and ride on horseback alongside Eril-Fane, and meet a blue-skinned goddess like Sarai. Laini Taylor’s ability to create magical, fantastical storylines is just breath taking. The world, the language, the characters… everything about this tale captivated me. The ending has broken me, in all the right ways. I need more of God-slaying Eril-Fane and assassins who are acrobats and armies of moths and a strange dreamer who reaches for his impossible dream, and grabs it with both hands…

Strange the Dreamer starts with Lazlo Strange – an orphan, a book lover, a dreamer, who has always been ostracized for being different, and has grown up constantly dreaming of the Unseen City. He is such a realistic, yet whimsical and loveable character; the perfect protagonist, and you empathise with him almost instantly. He immerses himself in his books, and lives amongst their pages, researching and learning every single thing there is to know about the Unseen City, Weep.

When Lazlo was a young boy, the name of the lost, unseen city was stolen from everyone’s minds. Not a soul could remember it’s name; the only word left in it’s place was Weep. Of course, if you dream hard enough, your wildest imaginings can come true, and the story truly sets sail once Lazlo is given the opportunity to adventure into the far reaches of every dream he has ever had, and find out the truth behind Weep and it’s inhabitants.

‘He read while he walked. He read while he ate. The other librarians suspected he somehow read while he slept, or perhaps didn’t sleep at all.’

Not only does Laini Taylor create feeling, beautiful, wholesome characters who make you feel like you are living their adventures with them, she also proves her place as the ultimate wordsmith of YA. The writing style of Strange the Dreamer seems to eclipse all her previous books: it is lyrical, tangible, poetic, almost to the point of too much. It hits that perfect sweet spot, without going overboard, and the imagery and pure imagination takes your breath away with every turn of the page. The very sentences themselves feel dreamlike and mystical – almost tricking you into believing you truly have been transported to another world.

Hidden within these pages we have never-ending libraries, mysterious journeys, hidden cities, ghosts and moths and goddesses with blue skin; mythical armies, warriors and God-slayers, star-crossed lovers and magic, nightmares, demons and salvation… In Weep, Laini has created a mystical world that leaps off the page and embeds itself into your very being. It is an addictive, descriptive, all-encompassing creation of a place that demands to be remembered, even after the book is closed. In Lazlo, Sarai, and Eril-Fane, you also meet characters with secrets, demons, dreams, and hearts filled with the capacity to love. Everything about the plot, these characters and their world is truly unique and so perfectly crafted.

The most prominent message I took from the story centers around race and how we, in a world currently ridden with racism and fear-mongering, detrimentally blame individuals of a certain skin colour for bad things that other people of that same skin colour have done; about how unaccepting the world is, as a society, of people who look different from ourselves. There is also a focus on the history of humankind and how younger generations are wrongly blamed for their ancestors mistakes. But this tale teaches us that we are not our ancestors, we are not our parents, and we should always strive to do better than the history behind us.

‘Sarai was seventeen years old, a goddess and a girl. Half her blood was human, but it counted for nothing. She was blue. She was godspawn. She was anathema. She was young. She was lovely. She was afraid.’

At it’s basest, Strange the Dreamer is also just about an orphaned underdog and a feared, blue-skinned girl who both just want the chance to be so much more. They speak to the hearts of all the dreamers, the bookworms, the misunderstood and the hard-done-by, and tell us that magic and dreams really can come true. Monsters, gods, hidden cities and armies of moths notwithstanding…

‘It was impossible, of course. But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming?’

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Book Review – Caraval by Stephanie Garber

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Whatever you’ve heard about Caraval, it doesn’t compare to the reality. It’s more than just a game or a performance. It’s the closest you’ll ever find to magic in this world . . .

Welcome, welcome to Caraval–Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.

‘Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.’

Caraval is a truly enchanting, magical and obscure story written in the most lyrical, descriptive prose. 

Although it is written in third person, the novel is entirely from Scarlett’s point of view only, and you cleverly never know anything of the other characters intentions or feelings until it is too late.

The use of description and imagery that related to colour and smells and sounds was stunningly crafted, with the novel an abundance of tangible sentences like: ‘Scarlett could still smell her father’s perfume. It smelled like the color of his gloves; anise and lavender and something akin to rotted plums.’

Caraval is, first and foremost, a game, and this is crafted not just into the story, but in to the readers imagination, as you realise that not only is the boundary between reality and illusion blurred for Scarlett, but it is for you too. You cannot know, for sure, what is real or not real. You can only guess, and wonder, and read on, as Scarlett is sucked further and further into the travelling performance of Caraval, her trust and awareness of real life facing hurdles at every turn of the page.

It is interesting that the author chose to write the story from the point of view of a character who, for most of her life, had been scared to take risks and always played it safe. However, once her sister, Tella, is suspected to be in danger, you witness Scarlett adapt into a confident, risk-taking person who will do absolutely anything to save her sister. Scarlett is an excellent, realistic protagonist and you really feel yourself going through every heartbreak and shock and knock back alongside her. She is cautious, but brave and clear headed and her strongest trait is how deeply and unashamedly she loves her sister.

‘She imagined loving him would feel like falling in love with darkness, frightening and consuming yet utterly beautiful when the stars came out.’

The romance in the book was also very cleverly planned out and really played on the idea of nothing quite being what it seems. The chemistry and sexual tension between Scarlett and Tristan was very slow-burning, in all the right ways. I loved that nothing was instant: they didn’t just fall head over heels in love. There was angst and confusion and perfect tension that matched the mystery and evocativeness of the story. In Caraval, you shouldn’t trust a soul, least of all your love interest.

If you loved The Night Circus, you will adore this. Be prepared to be enchanted; to be swept off your feet into a riddle of choices and consequences, where nothing is quite as it seems… This story will play with your mind and your heart, with twists and turns and a spellbinding cast of players to deceive you.

My Holiday Reads – Mini Reviews

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

I have spent the last two weeks travelling the beautiful Croatian coastline with my husband, and although we spent most of the time exploring, I still managed to fit in quite a few good books! A holiday isn’t a holiday if I don’t get through at least three!

9781447250944the-museThe Muse by Jessie Burton

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A picture hides a thousand words . . .

On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn’t know she had, she remains a mystery – no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.

The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with explosive and devastating consequences . . .

The Muse was the best book I have read in ages, and definitely my favourite book of the holiday! It transported me to another era, another place, another lifetime – Jessie Burton achieved what she always achieves. She is an excellent historical fiction writer and her prose is lyrical, beautiful and evocative. She adds miniscule details to things in a way that no other author does. I loved The Muse a lot more than The Miniaturist, which I did enjoy, but struggled with at times. The Muse was never boring, the characters had great depth, the dual timelines worked perfectly (which isn’t always the case!) and the storyline was incredibly intriguing and left you guessing until the last page. Nothing was predictable, but it was exhilarating, imaginative, and completely transported you to another time and place. The scene setting of Spain in 1936 and London in 1967 was what I enjoyed most about the story. It is a tale of love, lust, betrayal and danger, and the parallel settings and easy narrative voice help to draw you in spectacularly. I am so excited to see where Jessie Burton goes next – she has yet to disappoint me!

9781447266945carry-onCarry On by Rainbow Rowell

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Simon Snow just wants to relax and savor his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest, and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he’ll be safe. Simon can’t even enjoy the fact that his roommate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can’t stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you’re the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savor anything.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story — but far, far more monsters.

This was a book that I had had on my TBR shelf for a very long time, but was always hesitant to start it. It is an extension of the fanfiction that Cath writes in Fangirl, the novel by Rainbow Rowell. It is clear from Fangirl, and from the minute you start reading Carry On, that it is hugely based off Harry Potter. It is completely undeniable, and that definitely bugged me a bit to begin with. But, as the story continued, I started to fall in love with the characters, with Simon Snow, with Bas, with their chemistry and humour and romance. I also started to remember, hey, I love every damn thing that Rainbow Rowell writes! It was everything you expect from her writing, but funnier, sillier and more magical. Some of the spells made me literally laugh out loud they were so ludicrous – but that was definitely the point. The romance was excellent too – Rainbow is undeniably genius at writing flirtatious scenes, they almost made me squeal with happiness. My heart nearly burst out my chest when I read this:

“I let myself slip away… Just to stay sane. Just to get through it. And when I felt myself slipping too far, I held on to the one thing I’m always sure of – Blue eyes. Bronze curls. The fact that Simon Snow is the most powerful magician alive. That nothing can hurt him, not even me. That Simon Snow is alive. And I’m hopelessly in love with him.”

the-amber-shadows-9781471139284_hrThe Amber Shadows by Lucy Ribchester

four stars

Bletchley Park typist Honey Deschamps spends her days at a type-x machine in Hut 6, transcribing the decrypted signals from the German Army, doing her bit to help the British war effort.
Halfway across the world Hitler’s armies are marching into Leningrad, leaving a trail of destruction and pillaging the country’s most treasured artworks, including the famous Amber Room – the eighth wonder of the world.
As reports begin filtering through about the stolen amber loot, Honey receives a package, addressed to her, carried by a man she has never seen before. He claims his name is Felix Plaidstow and that he works in Hut 3. The package is postmarked from Russia, branded with two censors’ stamps. Inside is a small flat piece of amber, and it is just the first of several parcels.
Caught between fearing the packages are a trap set by the authorities to test her loyalty or a desperate cry for help, Honey turns to the handsome enigmatic Felix Plaidstow. But then her brother is found beaten to death in nearby woods and suddenly danger is all around… 

In true Lucy Ribchester style, this book had all the mystery and suspense of her debut novel The Hourglass Factory, with a little bit of romance and wartime setting added in. I really enjoyed this story – I am kind of obsessed with the World War 2 era, so it was great to read another tale about it. It was also interesting to read about enigma code and decrypting from another viewpoint! The suspense building was excellent and Honey as a protagonist was really easy to read and likeable. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a bit of mystery and history! Four stars couldn’t be stretched to five unfortunately, as I found the story to lack factual credibility a little too often, as with Ribchester’s previous novel. But for what it was, it was certainly a good read!

9781442408920_custom-ab1ee04526644c3ae958cba37007c84d709a2fb1-s6-c30Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

This is a story about a boy who is angry and sad and confused and can’t ever figure out why. It is a story about a boy discovering who he really is. It is a story about a boy learning how to fall in love with the world for the very first time. I loved everything about this book. I had finished it within a few hours of starting it, without truly realising how beautiful it was, how warm it made me feel. Aristotle was so relatable to me when I think back to how I often felt as a teenager, and the way that Benjamin writes is just out of this world mellow, beautiful, touching and life-affirming. There isn’t really much of a plot to this story, but in a way this is what makes it so successful – it’s beauty is in the author’s ability to depict everyday events and unnoticed emotions and the catastrophic feelings of a seventeen year old boy. This book made me cry, and think, and feel at one with the world. This was a beautiful story about love, identity and family, and I think everyone should read it!

Book Review – Always With Love by Giovanna Fletcher

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ALways with love

four stars

Sophie’s got used to being the girlfriend of Billy Buskin, the biggest movie star in the world. Sort of.

But when she and Billy take a trip to visit his family in Los Angeles, she quickly discovers she’s totally unprepared for the chaos of Hollywood, the paparazzi and Billy’s controlling mother. And when Billy extends his stay in LA, leaving Sophie to fly home to Rosefont Hill alone, it seems there’s more than just miles between them.

Now Sophie must decide if they can overcome their differences for good. Because not every love story lasts the distance . . .

I received this book for free from the publisher via Netgalley. Thanks to Penguin and Michael Joseph for allowing me to review this title!

Always With Love is Giovanna Fletcher’s fourth novel, and like all her others, it was heartwarming, light and lovely. It was delightful to hear more about Sophie and Billy, but I believe it would have been just as good a read even if I hadn’t read her first book, Billy and Me.

Sophie is a great protagonist, with real life vulnerabilities and worries, and this really helps the reader to relate to her. I love the fact that she is so down to earth, and that she helps Billy to stay grounded. The contrasts between his life in LA and her life in the picturesque and homely Rosefont Hill, was a wonderful addition to the story, and I was never quite sure whether he would choose to lose himself to that lifestyle, or return home to Sophie. The conflict and questions that this created was what kept me reading to the end. I found myself really rooting for their relationship from the very beginning! At one point, I wasn’t sure if they would make it, and Giovanna cleverly keeps up this guessing game until the last chapter.

My favourite aspect of the story was Rosefont Hill. The imagery was idyllic and the setting just perfect – I would love to live in a village like this. Reading about Sophie’s life in Rosefont Hill, and her contentment to settle for a humble and un-glamourous living was so relatable for me; I really warmed to her, much more so than in the first book. I feel like her characterisation was well thought out and she developed into a more independent woman as the story progressed. Her situation of struggling in a long-distance relationship struck a chord with me and I feel that Giovanna was extremely successful in portraying the realistic ups and downs of this kind of relationship.

The only thing that brought this book down to four stars, for me, was the awful cliché that men and woman can’t be just friends. I didn’t understand what this added to the story. It was unneeded and the book would have been so much better without it. I felt that it was added in superficially to make it more interesting, but it didn’t really work. Luckily, it didn’t really take up too much of the plot and I was still able to really appreciate the novel as a whole.

Giovanna injects pure warmth and love into her writing, you can literally feel it pouring out of the pages as you read. Her stories make you warm and fuzzy inside – especially the descriptions of Rosefont Hill with it’s gorgeous little tea shop and small-town lifestyle. Sophie’s romance with Billy is also super sweet and spine-tingling. He has definitely become one of my favourite fictional heart throbs!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Always With Love. It was heartwarming, funny and sweet. It was a charming story about real life relationships, the struggles of love, and the very important fact that home really is where the heart is.

Book Review – A Court of Mist and Fury

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment


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‘The power did not belong to the High Lords. Not any longer. It belonged to me – as I belonged only to me, as my future was mine to decide, to forge.’

It’s taken me a few days to think of the right words to describe this book. This enthralling, exciting, enraging and unexpected book with wonderfully authentic character development.

Firstly, I just want to say that a Court of Mist and Fury is SO MUCH BETTER than it’s predecessor. Mostly because Feyre’s characterisation is so outstanding, but also because the story is no longer just about love.

This novel is about self-discovery. It is about Feyre discovering who she is and what she wants. It is about the intrinsic ability that your experiences and adventures have to heal your heart. Through her adventures, she learns to embrace past pain, and learns to become a new, stronger person. She is not the stagnant character that so many similar lovesick heroines are. This time around, her characterisation is stunningly crafted. It makes the first book pale in comparison – it is worth reading if only to get to this stunning sequel.

In a Court of Mist and Fury, Feyre becomes more of the feminist heroine that I love to read. She grows up and realises that she is becoming a different person. And how could she not? I am so happy that Maas stayed true to Feyre’s character. How could she have gone through the events of the previous book and not have changed? And more importantly, how could she ever had stayed in love with Tamlin after the way he treated her? She might have needed him in the first book, when she was indeed a much weaker character who craved any kind of protection he could offer her. But at the beginning of the story, whilst trying to deal with what transpired Under the Mountain, she is emotionally unstable. Rather than helping her to heal, Tamlin ignores her pain like she is a silly little girl who will get over it eventually.

I hated Tamlin almost immediately at the start, which is a surprise since I had liked him in the first book, although his flaws never enabled me to love him. He was too weak, too controlling, and too much of a damn coward all the way through a Court of Thorns and Roses. This only gets worse in the sequel – Tamlin suffocates Feyre. Worse, he ignores her emotional wellbeing like it is something she is just going to snap out of. After reading this, and getting to know Rhysand and all the intricacies of his character, it makes me feel slightly sick to think that I ever liked Tamlin’s character. His and Feyre’s relationship dynamic was extremely shallow, weak and reminded me way too much of Twilight.

I absolutely adore Rhysand’s character. Oh my God, he’s so starry and dark and GLORIOUS. He lets Feyre be who she is meant to be. He sees value in strong women. He never once tries to stifle Feyre’s strength. Rhysand does everything in his power to help her, to heal her, to be her equal, most of which she is oblivious to until close to the end of the book. He keeps the truth of his feelings from her purely so she would be free to make up her own mind; decide the fate of her own heart. Most importantly, Rhysand never ever dismisses Feyre’s emotions to be unimportant.

Can we all just take a minute to appreciate that he made her a High Lady of the Night Court? Equality. That is what I love about Feyre and Rhysand’s relationship. He makes her his equal. He doesn’t lock her away like a delicate doll.

I feel like this stark contrast between the two male characters, and the substantiality of Rhysand’s characterisation when compared to Tamlin’s, is very deliberate. Throughout the entire first book we are never given even a tiny bit as much character building and background to Tamlin as we are for Rhysand. Overall, he is written so much more carefully, solidly and truthfully. You get to know him almost as much as you know Feyre. You learn his fears, his loves, his pain, and you feel them too. In comparison, Tamlin is completely two-dimensional.

Yes Rhysand is out-of-this-world starry, dark, strong, fearless and dangerous, but he is also incredibly selfless, thoughtful and… soft. Not only towards Feyre, but towards everyone he cares for. He sacrifices his entire reputation for his court. He values LOVE above all else, which is intrinsically feminist in my mind.

The slow-building, flirtatious sex that oozes through the book is so much better than the attempted (but not quite there) lust of the first one. It makes your heart stop a beat, your stomach erupt into butterflies, and your mouth drop open. It is cleverly interlaced into the plot, and Maas has learnt to make it more subtle than the shallow and unbelievable desire of the first book.

The romance is perfect because the story no longer revolves purely around it. It is built up by the events that transpire, and develops authentically as Feyre and Rhysand struggle through their own battles, together. It adds an extra dynamic to the story, but overall, they fall in love around everything else that is going on. Perhaps due to everything that is going on. They are common ground. They are one another. There is beautiful, solid substance to their feelings for one another, and you believe it totally.

The new characters are also amazing. They add depth to the story in a way that I don’t feel Lucian, as a secondary character, ever did. They are all extremely memorable and Maas definitely didn’t scrounge on their personal histories, making sure they were extremely interesting in their own right.

Her world-building is another aspect of the story that had me going weak at the knees. As you see the world through Feyre’s eyes, as she discovers her own power, her own importance, and her own place in the world now that Tamlin is no longer locking her away. The imagery of the Night Court and the hidden city within it is so spectacular, and definitely my favourite out of all the Faerie realms. The story arc surrounding Rhysand’s deep love for the court and his desperation to keep it from Amarantha’s destruction is clever, and unexpected. The twist that reveals him as Feyre’s mate is even better, and I loved his retelling of the events of the first book so much that I’ve read them over and over again!

To summarise, I feel that a Court of Mist and Fury was fantastical, seductive, enthralling, beautiful, heart-wrenching and empowering. I devoured it in one sitting, and I can forgive Sarah J Maas for the weak, male-dominated story that made up the first book, if only because it enabled this!

Vintage Charm… The Miniaturist, The Confectioner’s Tale and The Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp

~ fionareads ~ Leave a comment

I don’t believe there is any greater joy in the world than reading a book that makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. I love being swept up into the pages of a book that spills with authentic and imaginative vintage charm. The following books all depict different time periods, but they will always be my must-read texts when I want to escape to a world now gone by.

the misinterpretation

The sort-of-sequel to The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets (a book pushed upon me perhaps ten years ago by my mum, urging me to read it), The Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp is a warm, nostalgic period novel set in the 1960’s. I don’t remember much of The Lost Art, except for the fact that I enjoyed it in the way that you enjoy a hot cup of tea and a couple of digestive biscuits. It warmed you from the inside, and you felt as though you were experiencing the events first hand, wishing desperately that you lived in that time period and were friends with these fantastic characters. In the Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp, Rice excels in her natural ability to set a scene both magically and realistically. The story starts in the rural West Country and follows Tara as she begins a singing career, moving to London, falling in love with a photographer, being shown off at Chelsea parties, even dancing on tables at the Marquee Club on the night of the Stones’ debut… Rice perfectly captures that feeling of being seventeen and having the whole world on your doorstep. She has a real gift for evoking a nostalgia-tinged rural childhood, the quaintness of the first and last county in England in the fifties, and the excitement and pure rock-n-roll lifestyle of London in the swinging sixties.

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This book is so spectacularly vivid and deliciously detailed. Romance laces every word in a way that makes your heart skip a beat, and the imagery just makes you want to run straight off to Paris, visit a Patisserie and eat every single beautiful creation described. The Confectioner’s Tale tells a love story of two kinds. Set at the famous Patisserie Clermont in Paris, 1909, but told eighty years later through the eyes of Padra Stevenson, researching a photograph she found of her grandfather, the words ‘Forgive me’ written on the back. Her discovery leads her to reveal a mysterious, bittersweet and evocative story about two star-crossed lovers. The writing is what makes this book so infinitely special. It is mouth-watering, literally. The romance of the Parisian setting makes your heart burst.

The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist is set in seventeenth century Amsterdam, and tells the story of eighteen year old Nella Oortman who, after an arranged marriage to an illustrious and mysterious merchant trader, comes to the bustling city to begin a new life. Her loneliness and desolation is what struck me hardest, as she is left in the home with her husband’s cold and enigmatic sister. Her life changes when her husband arrives home with a gift – a beautiful cabinet dolls house. She is offended, seeing it as a toy for a child, but resentfully orders custom-made pieces to fill it. Amongst the objects that arrive from the elusive Miniaturist are items such as a tiny scrap of marzipan that makes people sick to the soul, and the miniature betrothal cup that was missing from her wedding. More things begin to arrive for the cabinet house, eerily life-like, and ominously attuned to the things that happen under her roof. This story is all at once horrible, and lonely, but beautiful too. Perfectly polished and mysteriously compelling, The Miniaturist is definitely a tale that takes you out of your own era and right into the heart of a city of hidden opulence and devastating secrets…